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Mendo Lake Family Life

10 Ways to Turn Your Wiggler into a Reader

By Jan Pierce

Sitting still and listening to a story is a developmental skill that can be nurtured over time. Sometimes young children are just too full of energy to sit and pay attention to a book. They’re like a basket full of puppies needing to wiggle, run, and play. How will you ever instill a love of reading into your energetic toddlers or preschoolers? Never fear; here are ten strategies.

Play first. Be sure your children get adequate active playtime before sitting down to read. Children will be much more likely to manage a quiet reading time if they’ve “worked out their wiggles” in vigorous play.

Wait until it’s time to snooze. Read at naptime or bedtime, when your kids are already sleepy and ready for a cuddle. Some parents find that reading during bath time works well.

Get their hands involved. Many parents find that allowing their kids to draw, do a lacing card, build with Legos, or hold something in their hands, such as a stress ball or thinking putty, helps with body management. This is especially true for children who are kinesthetic learners—they need to touch, feel, and keep their hands busy.

Read short stuff. Younger children need shorter reading times. So select small pieces to read—several short poems or nursery rhymes, or a book with few words.

Make it interactive. Talk about the book’s pictures and ask for responses: “What sound does that dog make?” or “What color is the truck?” Merely interacting with the pages of a book builds reading-readiness skills. Or select books that give kids the opportunity to open pockets, zip up zippers, and touch and feel textures.

Write and read about family members. Make reading time personal with stories about your daily life, such as the antics of your pets and the fun things your family is doing. These homegrown stories will become your kids’ favorites.

Follow their interests. Children love to read about their favorite movie characters, their favorite sports, their favorite anything. Find titles at your local library and then move to new books as your children’s interests grow and change.

Let them choose. Choice is a big factor in creating the motivation to read. When you allow your children to pick a book, you encourage them to buy in and increase the quality of the reading experience.

Listen to a book on the road. Try using audio books when driving in the car. Children are a “captive audience” when they’re in their car seats; and listening to audiobooks not only helps to pass the time, but it also increases listening reading skills.

Snacks and games help, too. A craft, snack, or game that is related to the reading topic may help keep the time enjoyable. 

Above all, be sure reading is a positive experience. Short and sweet reading times—that’s the solution to the wiggles.  

Jan Pierce, MEd, is a retired teacher and author of Homegrown Readers: Simple Ways to Help Your Child Learn to Read. Find her at janpierce.net.